At the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session, Indian diplomat Kshitij Tyagi sharply criticized Pakistan for its recent airstrike in Matre Dara village, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which resulted in the deaths of at least 30 civilians, including women and children. Tyagi accused Pakistan of "bombing their own people" and misusing the UNHRC platform to level baseless allegations against India. He also urged Pakistan to vacate the illegally occupied territories in Jammu and Kashmir and focus on addressing its internal issues, including economic challenges and human rights concerns. (PC: PTI)

Indian-born author Kiran Desai has been shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize for her novel The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, marking her return to the literary spotlight nearly two decades after winning the award in 2006 for The Inheritance of Loss. The novel intertwines the love story of its titular characters with themes of class, race, nationhood, and migration, earning praise from judges for its "unforgettable epic" quality. The shortlist also includes works by Susan Choi (Flashlight), Katie Kitamura (Audition), Ben Markovits (The Rest of Our Lives), Andrew Miller (The Land in Winter), and David Szalay (Flesh). The winner will be announced on November 10, 2025. (PC: AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that India is "mostly" on Ukraine's side, despite U.S. President Donald Trump's claim at the UN General Assembly that India and China are "primary funders" of Russia's war by purchasing Russian oil. Zelenskyy acknowledged India's energy-related challenges but emphasized its support for Ukraine. Trump criticized European allies for hypocrisy in buying Russian energy while opposing the war, urging them to cease such purchases. This exchange highlights differing perspectives on India's role in the ongoing conflict. (PC: Reuters)

Paramjit Singh, a 48-year-old Indian-origin businessman and U.S. green card holder, was detained by ICE at Chicago O’Hare Airport on July 30, 2025, over a 1999 payphone-related felony. Although he served a short sentence and completed community service, a 2023 court order had expunged the felony. Singh’s family claims ICE ignored this ruling, misrepresented his criminal record, and denied him bond. He faces serious health issues, including a brain tumor and heart problems, with inadequate medical care in detention. The case raises concerns over ICE detention practices and treatment of long-settled immigrants.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said India is “mostly” supporting Ukraine, countering US President Donald Trump’s claim that India and China are “primary funders” of Russia’s war. In a Fox News interview, Zelensky noted some issues with India’s energy deals with Russia but expressed hope India will change its approach. He added that Europe should strengthen ties with India to influence its stance. Zelensky also said China’s support for Russia is harder to change. Trump had criticised India and China at the UN for buying Russian oil, linking it to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and recent tariffs. (PC: HT)

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor criticised the Indian-American community for not speaking up on issues affecting India-US relations. He welcomed a five-member US Congressional delegation led by Indian-origin Congressman Ami Bera. Tharoor said no calls were made by diaspora members to support India on H-1B visa fees, higher tariffs on exports, or Chabahar Port sanctions. He urged the community to press US lawmakers to protect India’s interests. Tharoor noted the delegation, mostly Democrats from California, expressed strong support for India and its strategic partnership with the US. He stressed the diaspora should be more vocal in defending India. (PC: India Today)

A 26-year-old Indian techie from Bengaluru, working at IBM in California, has received a US O-1 visa after facing 3 H-1B rejections. Tanush Sharanarthi shared that his approval came due to his “extraordinary ability” in artificial intelligence. He said he focused on hard work instead of luck, spending late nights building products, publishing research, and contributing to his field. Sharanarthi expressed gratitude to his family, mentors, colleagues, and IBM for their support. The O-1 visa is given to individuals with exceptional talent in fields like science, arts, business, or sports, without an annual lottery cap. (PC: NDTV)

India strongly criticized Pakistan at the UN Human Rights Council after deadly airstrikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa killed at least 30 civilians, including women and children. Indian diplomat Kshitij Tyagi accused Pakistan of “bombing their own people” while exporting terror and illegally occupying Jammu and Kashmir. Tyagi dismissed Pakistan’s remarks as “baseless and provocative,” urging Islamabad to fix its struggling economy and poor human rights record. Eyewitnesses described destroyed homes and bodies pulled from rubble in Matre Dara village. Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission also expressed shock, calling for accountability. India warned against selective mandates at the UNHRC session. (PC: India Today)

India and the US have restarted trade talks in New York after months of stalled negotiations. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and lead negotiator Rajesh Agarwal met US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Sources called the meeting “encouraging” and said both sides are committed to overcoming trade hurdles. Talks follow earlier meetings in New Delhi, where officials agreed to speed up the process. The focus is on an interim deal to ease tensions after the US raised tariffs on Indian crude imports from Russia. If progress continues, a Quad summit could be held before the end of this year. (PC: India Today)

US President Donald Trump told the UN General Assembly that China and India are the “primary funders” of Russia’s war in Ukraine by buying its oil. He said the conflict would have ended in days if he had been president earlier. Trump also criticised NATO nations for not fully cutting energy ties with Moscow. He warned of new tariffs on countries continuing Russian oil trade. Weeks ago, his administration raised tariffs on Indian oil imports to 50 per cent. Trump repeated his claim of ending “seven wars in seven months,” including the India-Pakistan conflict, which India has denied. (PC: Reuters)